Print wheel setting control in postage meters



Nov. 21, 1967 P. M. LOWELL ET AL 3,353,480

PRINT WHEEL: SETTING CONTROL IN POSTAGE METERS Filed March 14, 1-966 3 Sheets-$hee 1 Nov. 21, 1967 P. M. LOWELL ET AL 3,353,480

PRINT WHEEL SETTING CONTROL IN POSTAGE METERS f5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1966 IIIIHIHIIIHIIH 1957 P. M. LOWELL ET AL. 3,353,480

G CONTROL IN POSTAGE METERS PRINT WHEEL SETTIN 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1966 United States Patent 3,353,480 PRINT WHEEL SETTING CONTROL IN POSTAGE METERS Peter M. Lowell, Pleasanton, Charles S. Balaz, Dublin, and Maynard E. Anderson, Pleasanton, Califl, assignors to Friden, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 533,991 4 Claims. (Cl. 10191) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE v This invention relates to postage metering machines and more particularly to the date printing mechanisms in the postage meter. The date printing mechanism of the postage meter is in the form of type wheels rotatably supported for selective setting within the indicia print drum. For each cycle of postage meter operation, the indicia print drum is rotated one complete revolution within a substantially completely enclosed housing to print the indicia and date. In order to enable such rotation, the date setting mechanism is supported within the meter independently of the print drum and accessible to an operator for adjustment of the date type wheels in the full cycle position of the drum.

Postage meters presently in use utilize a movable printing member, usually a rotatable drum, which carries the postage indicia die, adjustable value printing elements, town circle die and date printing elements. As each piece of mail matter or a tape moves through the machine, a cyclic rotation of the print drum effects the printing of a postmark thereon.

Each of the date printing elements is in the form of a type wheel selectively settable within the rotatable print drum which is enclosed in the cover of the postage meter. In order to prevent the taking of fraudulent postmark impressions without rotation of the print drum, the at rest, or full cycle, position of the drum is such that the indicia die, value printing elements, town circle and date type wheels are inaccessible. A suitable restricted opening is provided in the base of the postage meter which makes the printing of a postmark possible, upon cyclic rotation of the drum.

Inasmuch as the meter cover is secured to the base and is removable by authorized persons only, it becomes desirable to provide external means for the adjustment of the date print wheels, an adjustment which must be made daily to at least one of the print wheels. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved date setting mechanism for a postage meter wherein the means for adjusting the type wheels may be easily and quickly controlled.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved date printing mechanism having manually adjustable means for controlling the setting of the date wheels and a readily readable indicator therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide the date type wheels carried by the rotatable print drum with an improved date setting mechanism disengageable from the date wheels to permit cyclic rotation of the print drum.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational end view of the postage metering device with a portion of the cover broken away to show the date setting mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a view of the print drum showing the date adjusting disks;

FIG. 3 is a sectional transverse axial view of the print 3,353,480 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 drum, the view being taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of the print drum showing the date type wheels with a portion of the town circle die broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the postage meter showing the date wheel adjusting mechanism;

FIG. '6 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the postage meter showing the date setting mechanism engaged with the date wheel adjusting disks, the view being taken on the plane indicated by line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the date setting mechanism disengaged from the date wheel adjusting disks; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged isometric projection of the date setting mechanism in disassembly.

The invention is shown as being embodied in a postage metering machine of the type disclosed in the application of John F. Reus et al., S.N. 486,437, filed Sept. 10, 1965. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the metering machine comprises, generally, the base portion 10 and the demountable meter unit 12, within the cover 14 of which the print drum 15 is housed. The corner portion 16 of the cover 12 is removable for access to the date setting mechanism 20. The print drum 15 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) carries the usual printing dies, such as indicia die 21, town circle die 22 and the slogan die 23. A suitable aperture is provided in the indicia die 21 to accommodate the numeral type wheels 24 for the printing of a selected postage value. An aperture is also provided in the town circle die 22, within which the month type wheel 25, tens day type wheel 26, units day type wheel 27 and year type wheel 28 are disposed for selective setting by the date setting mechanism 20.

The print drum 15 is of conventional construction comprising circular end frames 32 and 33 of similar diameter maintained in parallel spaced-apart relationship by the substantially U-shaped frame 34. The legs 35 and 36 of the U-shaped frame 34 are disposed in planes parallel one with the other and are equidistantly spaced from the axes of the print drum supporting shafts 37 and 38, which are coaxial and are secured, respectively, to end frames 32 and 33 concentric therewith. Each end of the shaft 39, upon which the numeral type wheels 24 are rotatably mounted, is supported, respectively, in the legs 35 and 36 of the U-shaped frame 34. Each of the die plates, i.e., the indicia die 21, town circle die 22 and slogan die 23 is secured on plate 42 curved to conform with the outer arcuate surface of the web portion of the U-shaped frame 34. Plate 42 is, in turn, secured on the web portion of the U-shaped frame 34 between circular end frames 32 and 33 of print drum 15.

For each postmark impression, the print drum 15 is rotated through one revolution, coming to rest in the fullcycle position shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6. Such an impression may include the printing of the indicia, the postage value, the town circle, the date and the slogan.

The print drum 15 is similar to that shown and described in the aforementioned copending application of Reus et al. and the copending application of Peter M. Lowell, S.N. 492,795 filed Oct. 4, 1965. Included in the print drum 15 is the month type wheel 25, the tens day type wheel 26, the units day type wheel 27 and the year type wheel 28 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The type wheels 25 to 28, inclusive, are progressively larger in diameter, with the type faces of each wheel arcuately formed to conform to the printing curvature of the town circle die 22. The months of the year are embossed on the peripheral surface of the month type wheel 25, the numerals 1 to 3 are embossed on the tens day type wheel 26, while the numerals l to 9 and O are embossed on the units day type wheel 27. The last two numerals of each of fourteen consecutive years are embossed on the peripheral surface of the year type wheel 28.

The corner panel 16 may be hinged or otherwise removably secured to the cover 14 of the meter. An operator may, upon the removal or opening of the corner panel 16 (FIG. 1), control the day-to-day and monthto-month setting of the type wheels 25, 26 and 27 by the selective adjustment of the dater selection mechanism 20 (FIG. 1) in the full-cycle position of the print drum 15. Inasmuch as the year type wheel 28 is to be adjusted but once a year, such adjustment may be made by means of a stylus, upon removal of the meter from the base.

For this purpose, the dater selection mechanism 20 comprises a month selector disk 43, a tens day selector disk 44, and a units day selector disk 45 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Each of the selector disks 43, 44 and 45 is provided with internal gearing of similar pitch diameter, such as that indicated at 46 in FIG. 2. The internal diameter of the selector disks is slightly greater than the diameter of the crescent-shaped pivot block 47, about which the disks may be rotated. The pivot block 47 is secured on the leg 35 of U-shaped frame member 34 by any suitable means, such as riveting, as indicated at 48 (FIG. 3), and extends upwardly through a circular aperture in the auxiliary disk supporting plate 49 which is secured in position between print drum end frames 32 and 33 in spaced parallel relationship to the leg 35 of U-shaped bracket 34. The units day disk 45 rests on the outer surface of plate 49, with the tens day disk 44 and month disk 43 superimposed thereon and concentric therewith. The diameter of disk 44 is smaller than that of disk 45 and disk 43 is progressively smaller in diameter than disk 44, thereby forming a stepped arrangement. On its peripheral top surface, each of the disks 43, 44 and 45 is provided with a series of equally spaced ratchet teeth 50, 51 and 52, respectively, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The type wheels 25, 26 and 27 (FIGS. 3 and 4) may be individually adjusted by the step-by-step adjustment of the corresponding selector disks 43, 44 and 45. To this end, each of the type wheels 25, 26, 27 and 28 is provided with internal gear teeth similar to the gear teeth 56 of the type wheel 25 (FIG. 4), the internal gearing for the four type wheels having the same pitch diameter. The inside diameter of the internal gearing of each type wheel, i.e., the distance between the tops of diametrically opposed teeth, is slightly greater than the diameter of the crescent-shaped pivot block 57, which rotatably supports the type wheels in a stacked relationship. The pivot block 57 is suitably secured on the outer planar surface of the leg 36 of U-shaped bracket 34 .by riveting, as indicated at 58 (FIG. 3).

Each of the dater type wheels 25, 26, 27 and 28 is resiliently retained in each angularly adjusted position thereof, the month type wheel 25 and the units day type wheel 27 being so retained by similar spring and ball detents 59 radially disposed in pivot block 57 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The tens day type wheel 26 and the year type wheel 28 are each retained in each angularly rotated position thereof by similar spring and ball detents 60 chordally disposed in the pivot block 57 (FIG. 4). To be effective, the ball of each of the detents 59 and 60 engages between two adjacent teeth of the associated type wheel.

In order to control the adjustment of the deter type wheels 25, 26 and 27 in accordance with the setting of the respective selector disks 43, 44 and 45, a series of three similar six-tooth gears 61, 62 and 63 are provided and are associated with the respective date type wheels having a stacked relationship within the arcuate concave area 64 of the pivot block 57 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Six-tooth gear 61 is enmeshed with the internal gearing of the month type wheel 25, while gear 62 is enmeshed with the tens day type wheel 26 and gear 63 is enmeshed with the units day type wheel 27. Similarly, there are three identical sixtooth gears 65, 66 and 67 associa ed wi h t e e e o 43, 44 and 45, respectively (FIGS. 2 and 3). The gear 65 is enmeshed with the internal gearing of the month selector disk 43, gear 66 is enmeshed with the internal gearing of the tens day selector disk 44 and gear 67 with the internal gearing of the units day selector disk 45. Gear 65, associated with the month selector disk 43, is secured on the half-round end portion of one end of a shaft 70 (FIGS. 2 and 3). At its other end, the shaft 70 carries gear 61 secured on the half-round end portion thereof. Shaft 70 extends through, and is rotatably supported in, a quill shaft 71 which, at its one end, carries gear 66 integrally formed thereon and cooperating with tens day selector disk 44. At its other end, quill shaft 71 carries gear 62 secured thereon and enmeshed with the teeth of the internal gear of tens day type wheel 26. The quill shaft 71, in turn, is rotatably supported Within a quill shaft 72 which carries six-tooth gear 67 at its one end, integral therewith and enmeshed with units day selector disk 45. At its other end, quill shaft 72 carries six-tooth gear 63 secured thereon and enmeshed with units day type wheel 27. Thus, it can be seen that upon angular rotation of selector disks 43, 44 and 45, alike rotation is imparted to the corresponding type wheels 25, 26 and 27. Quill shaft 72, serving as a journal for quill shaft 71, is supported for rotation within axially aligned apertures in legs 35 and 36 of U-shaped bracket 34. Shaft 70, quill shafts 71 and 72 and the respective gears carried thereby are retained in the relative position shown in FIG. 3 by means of retainer plates 73 and 74. Circular end plate 73 may be retained in position on pivot block 57 by any suitable means, such as clip 75, while end plate 74 is retained in position on pivot block 47 by a screw 76. The arcual portion 77 of end plate 74 is of a greater radius so that the radial edge 78 thereof forms a reading line for visually determining the setting or adjustment of the selector disks 43, 44 and 45 and the date to be printed by type wheels 25, 26 and 27.

The structural relationship of the selector disks 43, 44 and 45 with the date type wheels 25, 26 and 27 is conventional and the description given above is believed to be sufficient for an understanding thereof. However, for a more complete disclosure, reference is to be had to the aforementioned copending application of John F. Reus et al. S.N. 486,437.

In order to selectively adjust the date type Wheels to a desired setting, the print drum 15 must be in the normal at rest, or full-cycle, position shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6. In this position of the print drum, the selector disks 43, 44 and 45 are accessible, upon opening corner panel 16 of meter cover 14, for selective adjustment by a manually controlled mechanism generally indicated at 82. Such I mechanism comprises three selection bars representative of the month, tens day and units day slidably mounted for reciprocation in a carriage rockable to either an active or inactive position relative to the selector disks 43, 44 and 45.

Referring to FIG. 8, the month selection slide 83, tens day selection slide 84 and units day selection slide 85 are supported for independent endwise reciprocation on a pair of axially parallel rods 86 and 87, rod 86 engaging in an elongated slot in slide 83 and similar elongated slots 88 and 89 of respective slides 84 and 85. Similarly, rod 87 is engaged in elongated slots 90, 91 and 92 of the respective slides 83, 84 and 85. Each of the rods 86 and 87 is secured at its one end in a carriage end plate 96. At its other end, each of the rods 86 and 87 is provided with a reduced diametral end portion 98 and 99, respectively, engaged in suitable apertures in cargiage end plate 97. Each rod 86 and 87 is retained in position in end plate 97 by means of each of similar clips 104 engaged in suitable annular grooves in the end portions 98 and 99, the shoulder formed by the reduced end portions 98 and 99 serving to maintain a spaced parallel relationship of the end plates 96 and 97.- Also, each of the selection slides 83 and 85 is maintained by means of similar collars in equally spaced parallel relationship with respective end plates 97 and 96 and the adjacent selection bar 84. Normally, each of the selection slides, or pawls, 83, 84 and 85 is resiliently urged by means of respective springs 106, 107 and 108 to the leftmost position shown in FIGS. and 8 or the rightmost position shown in FIG. 6. One end of spring 106 is secured in an aperture in the vertically extended portion 109 of selection slide 83 while its other end is secured in an aperture in an ear formed at a right angle to carriage end plate 97. Similarly, each of springs 107 and 108, at its one end, is secured in an aperture in a depending lug of the respective selection slides 84 and 85 with the other end of each of the springs 107 and 108 supported on a spacer rod 110 secured at its ends in carriage end plates 96 and 97 and extending axially parallel to rods 86 and 87.

Each of the selection slides, or pawls, 83, 84 and 85 is provided with a fingertip control for the manipulation thereof. The vertical extension 109 of the selection slide 83 is formed in a substantial U-shape with one leg 111 extending angularly relative to the plane of the slide 83, its end portion 112 extending laterally in a plane at a right angle to the selection bar and bearing the designation M0 for month. Similarly, a vertical extension 113 of the tens day selection bar or slide 84 carries, at its upper end, a V-shaped form, one leg 114 of which lies in a plane transversely of the slide 84 and bears the designations 10, and for the tens day selection. Likewise, the units day selection slide 85 carries a vertical extension 115, the upper portion of which is formed in a substantial V-shape with the lateral extension 116 thereof lying in a plane transversely of the slide 85 and bearing the designation DAY. The faces of the extensions 114, 116 and the end portion 112 of the slides 84, 85 and 83, respectively, bearing the various designations, lie in planes parallel one with the others.

Each of the carriage end plates 96 and 97 carries a bushing 120, 121, respectively, secured thereon and positioned in coaxial relationship to pivot-ally support the plates 96 and 97 on a shaft 122 supported at its ends in depending brackets 123 and 124 (FIG. 1) integrally formed on an internal projection 125 of meter cover 14. With the rocking of the carriage 96, 97, the tip of the end portions 126, 12.7 and 128 of the respective pawls 83, 84 and 85 are moved into or out of active engagement with the ratchet teeth 50, 51 and 52. of the respective selector disks 43, 44 and 45, as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 7.

It will be noted that there is an equal number of radially disposed ratchet teeth 50, 51 and 52, i.e.., they are equiangularly spaced on the respective selector disks 43, 44 and 45. Norm-ally, the extent of movement that would be required of selection slide 83 to effect a stepby-step movement of the corresponding selector disk 43 is less than that required of selection slide 84 for a step-by-step movement of selector disk 44. The extent of movement that would normally be required of the selection slide 84 is, in turn, less than that of selection slide 85 to impart a similar angular rotation to selector disk 45. It becomes apparent that if the nose or tip of each of the selection slides 83, 84 and 85 were engaged with a tooth of the corresponding selector disk 43, 44 and 45, the extent of movement that would be required of selection slide 83 to effect a step-by-step movement of the corresponding selector disk 43 is less than that required of selection slide 84 for a step-by-step movement of selector disk 44. In order for the extent of movement of the selection slides 83, 84 and 85 to be equal and for an equiangular rotation of the corresponding selector disks to be efiected thereby, each of slides 84 and 85 is of equal length, as seen in phantom line in FIG. 2, while slide 83 is of a shorter length. Thus, there is provided suflicient lost motion between slide 83 and an associated tooth 50 and between slide 84 and an associated tooth 51 to effect a like angular rotation of each of the disks 43, 44 and 45 with each manipulation of the respective slides 83, 84 and 85.

In the full-cycle position of the print drum 15 (FIG. 6), it can readily be seen that an actuation of one or more of the selection slides 83, 84 or will effect a single equiangular rotation of the respective selector disks 43, 44 or 45. Immediately following the actuation of each slide 83, 84 or 85, the associated spring 106, 107 or 108 causes a retraction of the slide to its inactive position for a succeeding step of rotational movement of the corresponding selector disk.

For a cycle of rotation of print drum 15, the conventional manual control button 130 (FIG. 1) carried by control slide 131 is moved to the left, against the urgency of the spring 132, to a position wherein the tooth 133 of locking lever 134 engages the extended portion 135 of the postage meter frame 136 to retain the control slide 131 in its actuated position. Immediately upon movement of the control slide 131 to the left (FIGS. 1 and 8), the inclined surface 137 of the slide 131 engages the lower edge of carriage end plate 97, camming the end plates 96 and 97 counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 8, or clockwise as seen in FIG. 6, to rock the selection slides 83, 84 and 85 out of active engagement with the corresponding selector disks 43, 44 and 45, as seen in FIG. 7, whereupon the slide 131 operates in a conventional manner to initiate a clockwise cyclic rotation of print drum 15. At the conclusion of each cycle of rotation of print drum 15, means (not shown) become effective to impart a counterclockwise rotation to =locking lever 134 (FIG. 1) to release the latch tooth 133 from its engagement with the extended frame member 135. Spring 132 then becomes effective immediately to restore control slide 131 and control button 130 to the inactive posit-ion shown in FIG. 1. Upon return of control slide 131 to its inactive position, the pawls 83, 84 and 85 again drop into active engagement with the respective selector disks 43, 44 and 45.

What is claimed is:

1. In a postage meter,

a frame,

an indicia print drum including value type wheels mounted in said frame and cyclically rotatable from a normal full-cycle position,

a series of date type wheels mounted in said print drum and independently adjustable to each of a plurality of angular positions to effect printing of a date upon each rotation of said drum,

means associated with each of said date type wheels for controlling the adjustment thereof,

a manually operable setting means normally engaged with said associated means to selectively control the angular adjustment of each of said date type wheels and disengageable therefrom to enable cyclic rotation of said print drum, and

a manipulative member operable to disengage said setting means from said associated means and to effect cyclic operation of said print drum.

2. In a device of the character described in claim wherein said associated means comprises,

a plurality of ratchet wheels mounted on said print drum, one for each of said date type wheels normally operable to effect angular rotation thereof by the engagement therewith of sad manually operable setting means.

3. In a device of the character described in claim 2,

wherein said manually operable setting means comprises,

a carriage mounted in said frame rockable by said manipulative member from a normally operative to an inoperative position relative to said ratchet wheels, and

a series of setting members carried by said carriage for sliding movement therein, each of said members being effective upon sliding movement and in the operative position of said carriage to engage a tooth of the corresponding ratchet Wheel thereby imparting a predetermined angular rotation to the corresponding date type wheel.

In a postage meter,

tation from a full-cycle position,

series of date type Wheels mounted for angular rotation within said print drum, said type wheels being independently adjustable to represent a date to be printed upon cyclic rotation of said print drum, detent means for resiliently retaining each of said type wheels in each adjusted position thereof,

a plurality of ratchet wheels, one for each of said type wheels carried by said print drum and operable upon each angular rotation thereof to impart a like rotation to the corresponding type wheel,

carriage supported in said frame rockable from a normally operative to an inoperative position,

series of setting pawls including date indicating devices mounted for reciprocable movement from a normally inactive to an active position in said carriage, one end of each of said pawls engaging a tooth of the corresponding ratchet wheel in each angularly rotated position thereof and in the operative position of said carriage, means for resiliently maintaining each of said setting pawls in the inactive position, and a control member operable upon depression thereof to rock said carriage to its inoperative position and to initiate a cyclic operation of said printing drum.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Ogden et a1 10191 Wheeler et al 101-91 Komusin 235-101 Rouan et al. 10l-110 X Ryan et al. 101-91 Rouan et al 10 1-91 Hanson et a1 101--11O Ritzerfeld et al. 101-91 Lundquist 10191 Lowell 10191 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A POSTAGE METER, A FRAME, AN INDICIA PRINT DRUM INCLUDING VALVE TYPE WHEELS MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME AND CYCLICALLY ROTATABLE FROM A NORMAL FULL-CYCLE POSITION, A SERIES OF DATE TYPE WHEELS MOUNTED IN SAID PRINT DRUM AND INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTABLE TO EACH OF PLURALITY OF ANGULAR POSITIONS TO EFFECT PRINTING OF A DATE UPON EACH ROTATION OF SAID DRUM, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID DATE TYPE WHEELS FOR CONTROLLING THE ADJUSTMENT THEREOF, A MANUALLY OPERABLE SETTING MEANS NORMALLY ENGAGED WITH SAID ASSOCIATED MEANS TO SELECTIVELY CONTROL THE ANGULAR ADJUSTMENT OF EACH OF SAID DATE TYPE WHEELS AND DISENGAGEABLE THEREFROM TO ENABLE CYCLIC ROTATION OF SAID PRINT DRUM, AND A MANIPULATIVE MEMBER OPERABLE TO DISENGAGE SAID SETTING MEANS FROM SAID ASSOCIATED MEANS AND TO EFFECT CYCLIC OPERATION OF SAID PRINT DRUM. 